Instep-supporter for boots or shoes.



PATENTED OGT. 20, 1903.

G. N. PHELPS. INSTEP SUPPORTER POP; BOOTS 0R SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.1. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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Patented October 20, 1908.

lNSTEP-SUFPORTER FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,826, dated October20, 1903. Application filed October 1,1902. Serial No. 125,466. (Nomodel.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE N. PHELPS, of Brookline, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovedInstep-Supporter for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement on that described in my pendingapplication, Serial No. 110,571, filed June 7, 1902, and is ashankstitfener with an instep supporter, as described in thatapplication, but with the supporter on the inner side of the inner soleand connected with the shank-stiffener, which is on the outer side ofthe inner sole.

In making welted shoes with my former de vice on the well-known Goodyearmachine it has been found necessary practically to sew the welt, upper,and lining by hand through the oblong holes in the connecting-stripwhich connectsthe shank-stiffener with the sup porter; and the object ofmy present invention is mainly to so connect the supporter andshank-stifiener that that connection will not interfere at all with theuse of the Goodyear or other machine in the manufacture of the shoe, forthe shoe is made in all respects as usual, except that theshank-stiifener is adapted to receive the arch-plate when the shoe isfinished.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of an inner sole with my improveddevice in place. Fig. 2 is a cross-section, but showing conventionally aGoodyear shoe in part ready for the application of my supporter. Fig. 3is a like section of a shoe with my supporter in place.

In my improved device the supporter A is connected to theshank-stiifener A by means of a projection or tang a to fit a socket a,fast to the shank-stiffener, the socket a fitting a recess formed ininner sole B and the projection at extending through the inner sole, sothat the supporter and shank-stiffener are on opposite sides of theinner sole, leaving the outer side of the inner sole unobstructed whenpresented to the Goodyear machine in the well-known manner.

I prefer to attach a separate socket-piece a to the shank-stifiener A,as such shankstiffeners as are now generally used are made of metal sothin that the connection between stiifener or if the tang of thesupporter were rivetedto the shank with the inner sole between them; butit will be obvious that my invention is not limited to the form ofconnection shown, the substance of the matter being that theshank-stiifener and supporter are connected together with the inner solebetween them in order that the shoe may be lasted and finished in theusual way. When finished, the shoe is ready for the introduction of thesupporter A, which may be readily put in and taken out in that form ofmy shoe shown in the drawings. This feature of making theshank-stiffenerA ready to receive the supporter A, which can be readilyremoved and replaced, is an additional feature of my invention and oneof material importance for a large class of wearers, for in many casesthe wearer desires to use the supporter A only on occasion.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The improved instep-s upporter forboots and shoes comprising a shank-stiffener and an instep-supporterconnected together by a connection extending through the inner sole.

2. The article of footwear above described provided with ashank-stiffener on the outer side of the inner sole, an instep-supporteron the inner side of the inner sole, and means for attaching the instepsupporter to the shank-stiffener.

3. A metallic shank-stiffener for boots and shoes with a socket near itsmiddle in combination with an insteparch supporter provided with a tangto engage that socket, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE N. PHELPS.

Witnesses:

J. E. MAYNADIER, G. A. ROCKWELL.

